MacNews Category Review: networking utilities for Mac OS X, part one

This MacNews Category Review looks at grant writing software for Mac OS X. Products covered include Grant Manager and Personnel Manager. Products covered include the Acquisition Italian Pack, ADPassworlsUtils, AirPort Configurator, AirPort Monitor, AirTraffic Control, Almost VPN, AP Grapher, Apple Remote Desktop, AquaEthereal, AutomountMaker, Azureus, Bitwise, Bonjour Browser, Bootmania, Bulter, BwanaDisk, CaminoKnight, Cisco IPSec VPN Clikent, CleanUp smb mess, Coconut WiFi, DICOMListener, DockIP, DummyMac, Dustman, FrameSeer, GpsdZ, Helios LanTest USB, Hostal, IdentD, IP Address Menu, IP Monitor, IP Self, IPD Sender and IPNetTuner.

Acquisition Italian Pack

Acquisition Italian Pack (http://macosg.me/2/0o) is an Italian localization plug-in for Acquisition, a P2P application.

ADPasswordUtils

ADPasswordUtils (http://www.xutils.com/wp/) is a collection of three active directory utilities: ADPasswordMinder, ADPasswordMinder Policy Editor, and ADPasswordChecker.

AirPort Configurator

AirPort Configurator (http://edge.cs.drexel.edu/GICL/people/sevy/airport/) is a configuration utility for Apple’s AirPort Base Station.

AirPort Monitor Utility

Airport Monitor Utility (http://www.trulycertifiable.com/) is a utility for viewing info about Apple AirPort Base Stations.

AirTraffic Control


AirTraffic Control (http://www.spintriplet.com/atc/) is a wireless network monitoring utility.

Almost VPN

Almost VPN (http://www.leapingbytes.com/almostvpn) is a SSH tunnel management app.

AP Grapher

AP Grapher (http://www.chimoosoft.com/) is a freeware program that searches for nearby wireless (i.e., WiFi, Airport) access points and graphs the signal strength as a function of time for the base station you are currently connected to.

Apple Remote Desktop

Apple Remote Desktop (http://www.apple.com) is a tool for managing the Mac computers on your network. With it you can distribute software, provide real-time online help to end users, create detailed software and hardware reports, and automate routine management tasks — all without leaving your desk. It features Automator actions, Remote Spotlight search and a Dashboard widget.

AquaEthereal

AquaEthereal (http://www.codebykevin.com/) is an application launcher, written in Python, for the Unix-based Ethereal network monitoring program.

AutomountMaker

AutoMount Maker (http://jm.marino.free.fr/index.php) is a tool for mounting filesystems of type AFP, FTP, http, NFS, SMB. After having created your files of script you can open “System Preference,” choose “Login” and drag and drop in the list. At next session login, your preferred volumes will go up automatically on your desktop.

Azureus

Azureus — also known as Vuze (http://azureus.sourceforge.net/) works with the Java-based BitTorrent client and includes a new split-window MyTorrents view with support for categories and advanced downloading/seeding/queuing rules for automated torrent management. It also sports a customizable user interface, seeding from read-only media, and offers reductions in resource usage.

Bitwise IM

Bitwise IM (http://www.bitwiseim.com/) is an application that encrypts over cross-platform P2P, IM, voice and file sharing.

Bonjour Browser

Bonjour Browser (http://www.tildesoft.com/) is a utility that lets you see all available Bonjour services on your local network. It comes with a list of default services to scan for, as well as letting you add your own services.

BootMania

BootMania (http://www2.tba.t-com.ne.jp/beanz/index_e.html) enables multiple computers to boot from a single disk image over IP network. With it you can create NetBoot or NetInstall images from installation CDs/DVDs, the Internet or an installed OS.

Butler: IP Numbers

Butler: IP Numbers (http://www.manytricks.com/butler/) is an IPv4/iPv6 number monitor.

BwanaDik

BwanaDik (http://www.jschilling.net/sw_bwanadik.php) is an IP address (WAN and LAN) menu item. Monitors your network for a good connection. If the connection is lost, it lets you know with an alert the second it comes back online.

CaminoKnight

CaminoKnight (http://macosg.me/2/0p) is an auto download for Camino nightly builds.

Cisco IPSec VPN Client

Cisco IPSec VPN Client (http://www.cisco.com/) allows local and remote users to access any Windows-based application running on the server. All the user needs is a low-bandwidth connection (21 kilobytes) and the ICA client, which is downloadable free. The IT Manager must have Citrix WinFrame or MetaFrame products installed at the server.

CleanUp smb mess

CleanUp smb mess (http://macosg.me/2/0q) is an AppleScript droplet that will clean up Windows shares mounted through the Mac OS X samba client, by removing all “._*” files, .DS_Store files and .Trashes folders on all the volumes and folders dragged on it.

coconut WiFi

Coconut WiFi (http://www.coconut-flavour.com/) is a networking tool that lets you see if you’re in range of an open wireless network.

DICOMListener

DICOMListener (http://www.crispyprojects.com/) is a Preference Pane to configure and start/stop a StoreSCP process for the receiving of DICOM objects in a PACS network.

DockIP

DockIP (http://www.kainjow.com/) is a utility for viewing your IP address in the Dock menu.

DummyMac

DummyMac (http://www.hanynet.com/dummymac/index.html) is a network bandwidth limiter.

Dustman

FireNet (http://www.unibrain.com/downloads/pdfs/firenetmacosx.pdf) is a system-independent IEEE1394 networking software which provides full Ethernet compatibility at 400 Mbps. Protocols supported include TCP/IP, NetBEUI, IPX/SPX and AppleTalk.

FrameSeer

FrameSeer (http://www.lgosys.com/products/frameseer.html) is an application for capturing, decoding and analyzing network traffic on Mac OS X. It supports Ethernet, AirPort, PPPoE, PPP and loopback interfaces, and uses the System Configuration Framework to continuously monitor and report on physical network interface state. FrameSeer’s multi-document design means that you can capture traffic simultaneously in multiple windows. Capture filters are supported.

GpsdZ

GpsdZ (http://ghw.spade-men.com/) is an Internet daemon for connecting to and sharing a single GPS device among multiple client programs running on one or many computers. It also offers a way to add GPS functionality to your own software.

Helios LanTest UB

Helios LanTest UB (http://www.helios.co) is a network performance utility for network administrators, integrators, and developers to test and measure performance and reliability of any AFP compatible file server or local hard disk.

Hostal

Hostal (http://www.northernsoftworks.com/hostal.html) is an utility designed to simplify control and editing of a TCP/IP host file.

IdentD

IdentD (http://www.macmax.org/) is an identD server.

IP Address Menu

IP Address Menu (http://alphaomega.software.free.fr/index.php) allows you to display your current IP address (and other information) in the menu bar and to notify you of changes by email or FTP. It displays an icon or your current IP address in the right side of the menu bar. Also, IP Address Menu displays your user name, your computer name, the IP address, the subnet mask and the MAC address of each of your network interface in the menus.

IP Monitor

IP Monitor (http://www.eskimo.com/) is an application that displays the current IP network (or subnet mask) address of your Mac on your desktop. With IP Monitor, you won’t need to open the TCP/IP (or MacTCP) control panel to view your Macintosh’s IP address. Additionally, IP Monitor allows you to copy the current IP network (or subnet mask) address to the clipboard, where it can be pasted directly to most applications and documents. There’s also IP Monitor for Java.

IP Self

IP Self (http://pagesperso-orange.fr/prime/) is a utility that gives you your IP number.

IP Sender

IP Sender (http://www.flexvisual.com/) emails IP address changes.

IPNetTuner & IPNetTunerX

IPNetTuner & IPNetTuner X (http://www.sustworks.com/) allow you to optimize network performance under Mac OS X (and Mac OS 9/Classic) by tuning internal TCP/IP parameters to match your network environment. IPNetTunerX includes a basic view with selectable presets, and an advanced view with over 50 adjustable parameters organized by category along with brief descriptions and extensive help. Beyond adjusting parameters, IPNetTunerX provides tools for measuring the effect of your changes, and a Location Helper to make dynamic configuration easier.